Candid Camillehttp://candidcamille.com/blog/Sat, 18 May 2019 12:42:04 +0000en-USSite-Server v6.0.0-18123-18123 (http://www.squarespace.com)A blog for the dreamers, travelers, foodies and worshipers of the world <br/>that want to live a healthy lifestyle filled with great people, magical <br/>experiences, vast adventures and a zen mindset. Au RevoirLifestyleMost PopularRecent PostsCamille LaursenSat, 18 May 2019 13:50:41 +0000http://candidcamille.com/blog/2019/5/18/au-revoir549ddb19e4b03939a85ab84d:549e1a53e4b0d0fb324ab705:5cdffd9c03c0f000016751fc

It’s time to say goodbye.

After four playful, fun years, it’s time for me to move on from Candid Camille.

There are many reasons for this, but essentially it’s just not a part of my life anymore. I don’t feel like I’m prioritising it due to life and all the million things going on - we all get this. Eventually, after a lot of thinking, I just knew that it’s the right time.

While I still love to explore and learn about health and food, I just don’t feel the same enjoyment of sharing it all. My hobby turned into something that wasn’t relaxing and sometimes it wasn’t even enjoyable (and that’s kinda the point of a hobby…) because it just added extra stress to my weeks, with extra deadlines and all the details that goes into the planning and creating.

There is not much more to say, so I’m keeping this short and to the point.

The only other thing I have to say is, thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for caring about this website, following along and for supporting me. While, this was never anything major with thousands and thousands of readers everyday, it was something very special and fun for me.

Ok. YUM. It’s been quite a while but there is finally a new post live on the le blog! That is life.

But this is a perfect recipe for jumping into Spring. It’s unbelievably delicious, cool and of course secretly filled with greens.

Sometimes we crave something chocolatey and sometimes it happens in the morning, which isn’t the best time to enjoy a little dark chocolate (but you know, you do you). BUT fear not, because this can quickly become your go to morning smoothie when you are in the mood to add little chocolatey twist to your morning!

I love my acaì or green smoothies but every now and then it’s nice (and important) to mix things up! I made this chocolate smoothie/chia pudding for the first time last spring and loved it! I never got around to sharing the recipe but now I am and almost on the 1 year anniversary of it! Because why not celebrate delicious smoothie recipes?

This recipe is a smoothie and a chia pudding because it can be used as both. I like to mix it up depending on how much time I have in the morning. If I’m in a rush and just want something quick and light after my workout, then the smoothie is my go to. While if I have a slower morning, then taking the time to make it a chia pudding is perfect! It should be noted though that you can totally prep this the night before and have the chia pudding ready to take without on the go or just enjoy it at home.

As with almost all of my smoothie recipes, you will always find hidden greens and also other types of goods such as antioxidants, fibers, omega 3’s, etc. So, of course the same goes for this smoothie! If you use a good clean cocoa, the taste will be very rich, delicious and sweet, but not too sweet, which matches perfectly with spinach. Spinach is one of the easiest greens to “hide” in smoothies because the taste isn’t too intense. I also like to add a Green Blend to all my smoothies to get even more superfoods into the mix! This is completely optional but it just adds that extra boost that’s good for my digestion, my skin and my gut. I use Novo Vita’s Yoga Green Blend and have for months now and I love it! It’s quite intense if you take it on it’s own, to be completely honest - but that’s because it’s filled with powerful green superfoods but it is masked really well in smoothies! This is completely optional! The key is finding a green blend that is within your budget and has the things that your body needs. OR you can also look for a protein powder that has “hidden” greens and superfoods in them already! I also just Novo Vita’s Green Protein exactly for that reason! Find one that works for you and that you like the taste of! This can be really different for all of us.

Enough of my nerdy health talk! Below you will find the recipe both for the smoothie and for the chia pudding! Give it a try and let me know how you like it! :)

Do It:

If you are only making a smoothie then add in the 3 tbs of chia seeds to the mix as well and blend. If you are making the chia pudding, then leave the chia seeds for later.

Blend the smoothie and enjoy!

If you are making the chia pudding then add the chia seeds to a jar or bowl and pour the smoothie onto the chia seeds. OR (third option) you can also just pour the smoothie on top of a regular chia pudding (as seen in the pictures above).

Stir the chia seed/smoothie mix for a solid 30 seconds, more if you have time. Then leave the pudding in the fridge for anywhere from 10 minutes to overnight - all depends on how much time you have. Stirring continuously definitely leads to the fastest and best result.

After the time has passes, mix the pudding around to make sure that the pudding is evenly distributed.

You can top it with some coconut flakes, cocoa nibs, granola, nuts or fruit. Whatever your heart desires!

It’s always an interesting time when a new year comes around. Another 365 days have passed and another 365 stand before us. Everyone celebrates the end of the year and the start of a new one differently.

After an incredible evening with beautiful friends and a needed sleep in - I had the rest of today for myself. I started my first day of 2019 with hot lemon water, meditation, journalling, affirmation cards, sagging the apartment and defusing lavender oil! This, for those who know me or have followed the blog for a while, may sound very typical. But in reality, these types of things haven’t been in my daily life for months now. Hot lemon water and meditation - yes because those are necessities in my life. But they have felt as more of must do’s instead of something I did to be good to myself and care for my mind and body.

But today, when I had this little “ceremony” for myself, it felt incredible. I felt both calm and at peace but also energised and full of life and gratitude. My point with sharing this is that I’ve let myself get caught up in being so busy that I’ve neglected all of these things that I’ve always preached the importance of. I may have done them daily or weekly, but they haven’t been done mindfully. Which honestly kind of defeats the purpose.

Having that feeling today, so strongly in my heart just made me so aware of how I have been neglecting myself and my mindfullness practice. And the worst part is that I didn’t know I was doing it. It’s very easy to get caught up in life, it happens to all of us, but typically the first thing that we drop in that situation is ourselves. We forget about taking care of ourselves, both our minds and bodies, and if we don’t take care of that then how are we suppose to “function” properly.

All I would like to say about this, is that, if you take anything away from all the New Years resolutions or intentions you read about and hear this year, then at least take this one with you as well. Remember yourself. Remember your practice. Remember your health. And I don’t just mean self-care, while that is incredibly important, I mean taking it one steps further than that. By doing more to follow your dreams and what makes your heart happy. Do more of what makes you genuinely happy and stop doing the things that don’t. This might sound harsh, but drop the people in your life who are toxic and find more people who bring out the best in you and who you can bring out the best in them. The people in our lives and the ways we spend our free time is what makes our life unique, special and worth living.

So just do more of what makes you happy. Life is short. And always remember how important it is to always take care of you. And as cliche as it is, make this year about being the best you to those in your life but also to yourself. I feel like we always say this to ourselves but are typically bad at actually doing it. I look forward to another incredible year. I hope to be able to do more mindfullness content on here and I hope that you will be a part of that journey by sharing your thoughts and growth though out the year.

Send so much love and good energy to you, wherever you may be and whatever you may be going through.

I wrote the follow on October 10th at 21:00 in bed. I never posted it. But now I am because as I read it I remember that feeling and realize that I need to feel that again. Months later and I still feel as though I have been neglecting my practice. Going to yoga tomorrow. End of story.

But I hope you will read my little heart felt blurb below and feel it either resinate with your or maybe even inspire you. Yoga is truly a gift.

I am high on life right now.

Everything around me is so beautiful.

Look at how incredible the sky looks this evening. Still beautiful blue but with hints of pink, purple and orange. Incredible. Breath taking really.

I feel so strong yet so at peace within myself.

Wow… I can’t remember the last time I felt like this.

Our bodies are incredible.

Thank you for this body. I should be more appreciative of this. Every day.

These are just some of the thoughts I had on my 7 minute bike ride home from my yoga studio last night. I truly felt and lived all these things and it still gives me a little burst of energy just thinking about them again.

I went to my first Ashtanga yoga class night, guided by one of the most incredible, powerful and inspirational women I have ever met. Another one to the incredible “collection” of women that inspire me. I had never tried Astanga before but I kept getting recommendations that I had to try it. I had cancelled my reservation week after week because I kept bailing/chickening out/ choosing to prioritize going to the gym… (ugh… so dumb!).

Man am I glad I got myself to the class today. It’s now some hours later and I’m sitting in bed writing this and I still feel high on everything that happened in that hour and the fact that I’m still feeling it now. I never write in bed, this is my sanctuary in many ways, but I simple had to get all of this out and share it.

Of course trying something new, especially a new type of yoga practice, is incredible but the thing is, this is how I feel after ever yoga class. Which also indicates something about how I have been neglecting it for the past couple of weeks. My excuse for neglecting my practice are no good either.

But, the point of this was not to point out how I need to learn to listen to my body and go to yoga more, and more as in at least twice a week, and while this is also very true, the point was to share those incredible thoughts and feelings after class. I swear I felt like I could take on the world. All from an hour of shutting everything out, focusing on my body, my mind, my strength and my breath. If that it’s incredible then I don’t know what is.

Once again, I repeat myself, I am so grateful for this body. And I am just as grateful that I have something in my life that can ground me, motivate me and inspire me during a hectic time where I tend to forget myself first. It’s a tendency we all have. To forget ourselves first.

If you are on the verge of or considering picking up yoga or maybe even just going to your first class, then I truly hope that this inspires you to go for it. I promise it will change your life and it may not happen the first time, but stick with it. All good and powerful things take time. Trust the process - cliché but true.

Green blends like this used to scare me. I know that probably sounds slightly ridiculous but sometimes green blends can just be overwhelming and simply don’t blend well. What I mean by that, is that that they are hard to use in smoothies and drinks because the greens are too intense.

Now yes, the purpose of a green blend is obviously to give you the greens… obviously, but it should also be able to be used in a way that is delicious. Especially because if it tastes good then you will use it again and then you are one step closer to a healthier you!

Back to what I started with. I love a good green smoothie or green juice, but damn I have had some terrible experiences when it comes to making green smoothies with green powders. So essentially, I had given it a rest and just used my usual spinach and sometimes spirulina in my smoothies. Then I tried Novo Vita’s Yoga Green Blend and all was good in the green blend world again.

This green blend is incredible! It is packed with all sorts of powerful organic superfoods! Superfoods like wheat grass, kale, beetroot, barley grass, turmeric and chlorella. Each of these superfoods kick butt in the health world with regards to gut health, your immune system and even your skin. Three vitally important parts of our bodies and health to take care of. It’s also 100% organic and vegan.

Just as importantly, which is my point of my green blend rant that this post started with, is the fact that it blends amazingly in smoothies! Which is why I have been using this in my smoothies every single day (or everyday that I have a smoothie).

Below you will find two incredible smoothies that I use this Green Blend in. One for the sweet tooth and one for the total detox! Perfect to incorporate into your daily life. With that, you can also approach this with baby steps. You can totally start with half a scoop and then move to a full scoop when you’ve given it a try. With the half scoop you 100% wont be able to taste it and with the full scoop you will be able to taste that it’s a little different but it still tastes sweet of berries.

Also, incorporating a green blend like this into your diet and in ways that work for you, is a really great way to get those greens in everyday. Eating spinach and broccoli is great! Don’t get me wrong - but these superfoods will really leave you and your body feeling incredible.

Sweet Tooth Smoothie with Yoga Green Blend

1 frozen banana

1/2 cup frozen strawberries

1/4 cup frozen raspberries

1/4 cup frozen blueberries

2 tbs coconut flakes

1 scoop Yoga Green Blend

Optional:

Vanilla protein powder (I use Novo Vita’s All in One Protein Powder)

Maca Powder

Ashwagandha

Detox Smoothie with Yoga Green Blend

1/2 frozen banana

1/2 cup frozen mango

1 small pear

1 orange

2 tbs coconut

1 scoop Yoga Green Blend

WaterOptional:

Vanilla protein powder (I use Novo Vita’s All in One Protein Powder)

OR for this one I actually used Novo Vita’s Yoga Green Protein neutral flavor

I love salmon. That and tuna are my absolutely favorite fish! With salmon you have so many options as to how to cook and flavor it - it’s even good with just some olive/avocado oil and salt and pepper.

Personally, I eat a lot of salad. I love salad and I really do mean that. It doesn’t have to or should be boring. It should be delicious and flavorful and leave you feeling full and satisfied. Which is why I always add lots of veggies, healthy fats and proteins. Sometimes the proteins are plant based and sometimes it’s fish or chicken - but most of the time a little bit of both. For example, I almost always add chickpeas to all of the salads (and almost any other dish…). Specifically I use my Spicy Roasted Chickpeas. Which also happen to be in this delicious Asian inspired Salmon Salad.

I swear this is ridiculously delicious, with minimal ingredients (that you can also find everywhere) and it’s easy to make. Give it a try and maybe even mix it up a bit by adding some different veggies if you prefer something other than broccoli and cauliflower. Always use your own preferences when it comes to veggies! Just try to remember get as many colors in there as possible - it’s the easiest way to know that you have some variation in what you are getting from your veggies!

Do it!

1. Preheat oven to 200 ℃

2. Mix all the dressing ingredients into a bowl and pour on top of salmon.

3. Cut up your cauliflower and broccoli.

4. Place the salmon and veggies on a baking sheet. Sprinkle some olive oil, salt and pepper over the veggies.

5. Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes. Then flip the veggies and then change the oven to broil and bake for about 3-4 minutes.

6. While this is cooking you can wash your salad and drizzle a little olive oil on top.

7. Take it all out of the oven and ta-da you have a delicious, healthy, balance meal that will leave you feeling full and satsified.

These Spicy Roasted Chickpeas are my absolute favorite way of cooking chickpeas. They can be a snack, a side, salad topping, buddha bowl filler, daal topping, curry topping, a topping to almost any dish. They have so much flavor and spice that it can make any "boring" salad, more fun and tasty! I like to throw them on everything honestly. I make these at least twice a week!

This will for sure become a staple in your kitchen and always a part of of your Sunday meal prep (or which ever day you do it).

These are great for anyone but if you are a vegan or vegetarian or maybe you're just having a meat-free meal then these roasted chickpeas are great to add for protein. As well they are high in fiber. Chickpeas are also great for digestive health, inflammation and IBS. So... eat more chickpeas!

Do it!

1. Add 2-3 tbs olive oil to a pan and turn on to a medium heat setting

2. Rinse your chickpeas (if they are coming from a can).

3. Pour the chickpeas on the pan.

4. Add Harissa, turmeric and a little salt and pepper to the chickpeas and mix.

5. Let them roast/cook for about 15 minutes, while stirring occasionally. If they start popping (you'll know if it happens) then turn the heat down and stir more often until the "popping" stops.

Ingredients

- 1 can chickpeas

- 3 tbs olive oil

- 1/2 tbs Harissa spice (I used Whole Food's brand but I know you can find it other places!)

Coconut macaroons are such an under-rated dessert or treat that just needs some acknowledgement for a quick minute. Macaroons have always been a great gluten free alternative to cake, but they are still filled with lots of refined sugar... which, as with so many other things, is unnecessary and can totally be created without. While still being incredibly delicious! These coconut macaroons are gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free. They are sweetened with a tiny bit of maple syrup and really I mean a tiny bit. We are talking 1 tablespoon tiny. Otherwise the natural sweetness of coconut does the trick!

These are super quick to make, have very limited clean up and they are sure to be a crowd pleaser! They are naturally gluten free, dairy free, flour free, refined sugar free, paleo and most importantly... freaking good! They are perfect for parties, dessert or even for an afternoon treat. The perfect coconut lovers treat!

I love movement in the morning. I need to move my body. If I don't, it genuinely has an effect on my mindset, my body and just overall day. Hence, my morning movement is essential. To give you an idea, this is essentially what my morning routine looks like.

6 am wake up. Bathroom, brush my teeth, splash water on my face and get in my workout clothes. Drink at least one full glass of water. Then I make my little Yoga Energy drink, which is completely new to my morning pre gym/yoga routine but I love it. Make that and drink it before I head out the door. Get to the gym/yoga studio. Do my workout/class and head home. I also drink tons of water while working out of any kind. Hydration is key. I get home. Turn on my kettle to make my hot lemon water. Shower, get dressed and ready for the day. Drink my hot lemon water while I do my morning meditation. Make breakfast and eat.

I'm a morning person. Mornings are my favorite, they're my most productive and I prefer to get my workout in as soon as I get up. In reality, some days I wake up full of energy and have a great workout without anything but water powering me and some days that just isn't the case. Those days my workouts just aren't that great. Even though I knew this was the case, I didn't want to use a pre workout - mostly because I prefer to harness my own energy and the one time I tried a little of an energy drink/pre workout I got all jittery and really didn't like the feeling. While I still believe in harnessing my own power and energy, I have a new perspective on "energy drinks" with this new Yoga Energy, I've been using.

Novo Vita recently released their new Yoga Series. There are all sorts of amazing products in this series and I am incredibly excited about it. The one product I am going to focus on in this post, though, is this Yoga Energy that I just mentioned adding to my morning routine. Yoga Energy is a very gentle energy drink. I don't drink energy drinks or anything like that typically but I really love this. I love it for four main reasons.

1. It gives me gentle and stable energy. I'm not bouncing off the walls when I drink this before I head to yoga or the gym, it just gives me that little boost I need. I genuinely saw a difference in my motivation, how hard I could push myself and my energy even after an intense workout.

2. It works for yoga. If I'm going to a power class or Vinyasa or some type of "intense", "harder" yoga class then sometimes a little boost is great. Never under estimate the intensity and power of yoga...

3. It's clean. There are no weird additives, no sugar, no dairy products, no sugar, nothing weird and unnecessary. As well, all the ingredients are plant-based. This is always why I use Novo Vita's products - I trust that what I'm putting in my body is clean and that goes for all their products, from vitamins to protein powders. With all of my supplements and additional products (such at this Yoga Energy, protein powders and vitamins) I prefer them to be planted-based.

4. It tastes amazing. Genuinely, it's delicious. I was worried I would not like the flavor (I typically don't like anything flavored when it comes to these types of products) but it is SO good. Sweet but not too sweet. It's perfect.

A little sneak peak into my morning routine and why morning movement is so important to me. If you aren't a morning person, then that's totally ok. Then evening movement might be what works for you. Do whatever works for you.

Getting hit by a cold is truly the worst. Personally, I was hit by something yesterday (it truly hit me like a wall) and I was unable to function properly all day. The symptoms technically started the night before but they weren't that bad. It was mostly just a sore throat and then I felt off.

I haven't been sick, like this, for years and being away from my routine has definitely taken a toll on my body. Regardless, it is now a new day and I feel so much better. Even though I was a fan of how terrible I felt yesterday, it was great for testing out my home remedies for fighting a cold. So that's what I did, it clearly worked and now I'm sharing it here.

First let me start by explaining how I felt yesterday. My symptoms included:

- cough

- stuffy/runny nose

- sinus congestion

- headache

- body ache

- sore throat

- fatigue

Essentially, your classic cold symptoms.

Below you will find the 7 things I drank, ate and did throughout the day yesterday to cure the cold.

Water

Not only is drinking water throughout the day an essential for taking propper care of your body, it is a vital element when you are sick. Water helps flush your system and is needed for your body to properly function. When you are sick, your body needs all the help it can get to flush its system and function. AKA water = life so chug it.

Apple Cider Vinegar

This is definitely not one of my favorite "health shots" but damn does it do miracles. An AVC shot can be taken everyday to aid with digestion, healthy gut, weight loss and a lot of other wonderful benefits, but it is especially good for your immune system and flushing out toxins. It isn't the best tasking, especially when you are taking it as a shot, but it's worth it. I am positive that combining this with a ginger shot played an important role in getting me back on my feet so quickly.

Ginger Shots

Getting into a habit of always making ginger shots is really great for a lot of reasons including, healthy gut, skin, healthy immune system and many other reasons, but it is especially good when you are sick. I have a whole post on Ginger Shots linked here that you can check out for a recipe and for more of it's benefits.

Sleep

Not much needs to be written here. We all know how vital sleep is for your body to restore daily and when you are sick, your body needs a lot more sleep because it's working double time, trying to fight off whatever you have. Sleep people. Just sleep. I napped yesterday and just stayed in bed all afternoon and until I went to bed. Horribly lazy and I'm a very active person but you just have to listen to your body. I also proceeded, after a day in bed, to sleep for 10 hours. Go back to bed if you're sick! Don't try to fight it.

Meals

Sometimes the last thing you want to do when you're sick is eat, especially proper meals. If that is the case for you, then listen up. Even though you may not want to, it is still vital that you do. You need to fuel your body with good, wholesome foods in order to help your body heal and fight off the bug. I really didn't want to eat anything yesterday but I still had breakfast, lunch and dinner. I had my regular breakfast, at that point I was feeling gross but not horrible yet. For lunch I had a golden lentil soup, this was amazing and needed. I didn't eat a lot of it, but just getting something in my body felt good and definitely helped. For dinner, I just ate a bunch of vegetables, some quinoa and a sweet potato. I felt a lot better after eating dinner, which helped me sleep because I had food in my belly and not feeling completely terrible when trying to sleep, makes fall asleep a lot more manageable.

Oils

Oils! I swear by my oils and they are highly incorporated into my daily routine. I cannot live without them. I don't use all my oils everyday, obviously, I have a lot of different oils for a lot of different situations. For example, yesterday I used peppermint oil. Normally, this would not be my go to for a cold, but I didn't bring those oils with me. The last thing I thought would happen on this summer holiday was getting a cold... Regardless, I put the peppermint oil all over my throat yesterday afternoon before my nap and before I went to bed and my throat feels so much better and it helped clear up my sinuses. The peppermint smell is so intense that you can smell it and almost feel your airways opening up. Sounds crazy, I know, but it worked. Normally for a cold I will use RC. RC is made with ingredients to help support the respiratory system and is a life saver when it comes to colds and congestion. Additionally to the peppermint oil, I of course used my lavender oil before bed. It just helps calm my entire body and helps me get a good nights sleep.

Tea

Another great remedy for a cold is tea. Personally I drank, hot lemon water (swear by it), peppermint tea (always makes me feel better, not matter whats going on) and then I drink this tea called Throat Coat by Traditional Medicinals. I'll be honest, I'm not a huge fan of the taste (but I do have friends who love the taste) but this tea just works. It's like you can feel it coating your throat as you drink it. It gives immediate release when it comes to a sore throat.

These are my little tips and tricks for fighting off a cold. Just by doing all these things and allowing my body to rest, I am back on my feet and feel better just 24 hours later. I'm not saying I feel 100% but I am able to get out of bed, go for a walk, work from my computer, I am able to do things. The next time you have a cold then do yourself a favor a try these home remedies and tips for healing your body.

The infamous Buddha Bowl. My absolute favorite dinner of all time. Sometimes I get into a phase of having buddha bowls for dinner every single night and I am perfectly ok with that. The thing about these bowls is that it doesn't have to be the same bowl every night - that's the beauty of it. Even though I may have bowls every night, that does not mean that I am having the same flavors and combinations day after day. You can easily mix up your protein, your veggies, the spices you use, the dressing you drizzle on or use more or less toppings/ingredients. The beauty of it, is it's flexibility and simplic.

Some may look at these bowls and think "simple... no way"... but really these bowls can take about 20 minutes to make and if you meal prep it can take much less. We're talking like 10 minutes... Who wouldn't want super quick food that is delicious, healthy and even affordable. The trick is to meal prep/utilize leftovers, buy seasonal foods and have a good selection of spices in your kitchen.

To make this easier I am going to gradually share different buddha bowl combinations to help you spice up your kitchen with wholesome, delicious bowls that anyone can make. I hope this helps because I get that sometimes it can be hard to figure out what to actually put together.

To start, here is an addition to my original buddha bowl recipe that I shared about four years ago. Specifically using Salmon as the main form of protein. For this recipe I don't cook the salmon in any specific spices other than oil, salt and pepper. This is also a great way to be flexible with how I use it throughout the week. I like to cook the whole salmon piece I buy, so I don't have to deal with it each time - which also cuts my cooking time in half.

Below are two different bowls. I typically always have sweet potatoes and cauliflower and I've been adding broccoli often as well now. It makes these bowls super filling, provide lots of nutrients from each food and lots of taste. Especially the cauliflower. Then what I typically change are the "extra veggies" and the dressing. So for dressing I typically just use a little olive oil, but sometimes I use apple cider vinegar and sometimes I like to do a mix of both. Again, very flexible. Different veggies you can use are tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, scallions (lots of flavor), avocado, shredded carrot, etc. Essentially just use the vegetable you enjoy!

Mix it up and play around with what you add and how you spice it up. The recipe below is my favorite combination with salmon, so definitely give that one a try!

Do it!

1. Preheat the oven to 200 ℃ (390 ℉).

2. Cut up all your veggies.

3. Place the sweet potato and cauliflower on a baking sheet and dress with olive oil, salt and pepper, and any other spices you might like. Personally I prefer spicy spices, like chili or cayenne pepper and turmeric. Always turmeric!

4. If you have not made the dried chickpea snacks before hand, then you can add the chickpeas to the baking sheet as well, with the same dressing. You can also just eat them raw or roasted on the pan as well.

5. You can either cook your salmon on the pan or in the oven with the veggies. Add the salmon into the oven a about 8 minutes after you started baking the veggies. I typically bake it for about 12 minutes and then I like to roast it for 2(ish) minutes.

6. Bake the veggies in the oven for about 20 minutes, after 10 minutes, flip all of the veggies around.

7. While this is cooking, you can cook your quinoa. Rinse your quinoa before cooking and then cook for 12-15 minutes, depending on the quinoa you are using.

8. Once all things are finished cooking, you just place all the deliciousness onto a plate or bowl.

9. Top with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, and seeds.

Ingredients:

For the purpose of this recipe, I have not written specific amounts of each ingredient, because this can either be made for one, two or four people. As well, everything in these bowls can be meal prepped.

Taking care of our skin isn't just about the products we put on our face. It's just as much (if not more) about the foods we fuel our bodies with and the drinks we hydrate our body with. While it's also so important to remember that there are lots of other things that effect our skin as well. First of all, we all have different skin and while that can be a blessing, it can also be a struggle. Just remember to not be too hard on yourself if you have skin that you are really struggling with. Just to list a couple of other things, stress, anxiety and hormones also have a huge impact on our skin. This, just like your genetics, are not as easy to influence as the products you use. Which is why I also want to cover more than just the products I use in my morning routine.

Personally, I'm a freak about my skin. I have super sensitive skin, so I am very very picky about the products I use and how I care for my skin in general. Honestly, I have actually been really lucky with my skin, I haven't had acne or any severe problems, but just like all I still have plenty of imperfections. Especially in my later years, which is due to the fact that stress and anxiety really effects my skin. I can drink liters of water and eat all my cleansing foods and still have problems. Which goes to my point earlier, the foods we eat and the drinks we drink are important along with using good products, but there are also other things that you can't "control" in the same way. Aka your hormones and your headspace. BUT don't fret because there are still lots of things that can be done to focus on these. I'm mentioning all of this because my morning routine really captures all of these elements. Which, as I always say, starts my day with full healing and healthy force.

I've decided to present this in a timeline, so it really shows my morning skin care routine and how easy it is. Making this a super easy skin are routine to integrate into your morning, even if you aren't a morning person.

6:00

My alarm clock goes off. I wash my face but just with water. I spray the Ginzing Hydrating Spray on my face. I get dressed. I drink a big glass of water. I go to the gym. If you are not a morning person/don't workout in the morning then you can essentially just skip this step. Exercise in and of itself is great for your skin. Sweating and increasing your blood flow is good for your skin and helps eliminate toxins. As well, when you exercise your body releases endorphins which is why you have that "post-workout-high" and just feel amazing. It leaves you feeling good and de-stresses your body.

7:30

I shower and I use my absolute favorite face wash of all time. I've used Origins Checks and Balances for years, like since I was 15 and I swear by it. It feels perfect on my skin and it gives that perfect clean feeling, but it's super gentle. I also have the A Perfect World Cleanser, which I also love but use that mostly at night. There is absolutely no reason for this, I just have both and one is in my shower and one is by my skin, so I switch, but SO not necessary.

I make my hot lemon water. This is to sooth, heal and care for my skin from within. Again, I swear by this. Hot lemon water is on my top favorites list when it comes for caring for your body.

7:36

I meditate for 5 minutes, with little sips of my hot lemon water. This step is where I start my day by soothing my mind, body and soul. It started out because I needed it for my anxiety but I have actually seen a change in my skin since I started doing this religiously. For more on why you should meditate and why I do it every day you can read Why Meditate?

Lastly, after I finish eating by breakfast I take my vitamins. Specifically for my skin I take Novo Vita's SkinEssence+. Adding this to my routine has definitely had a major effect and it just gives my skin that extra boost and glow that is noticeable. This vitamin protects the cells from oxidative stress and helps boosts the bodies natural collagen production.

This is essentially the "end" of my morning skin care routine. My morning skin care routine is literally 6 minutes and that includes showering (short showers to save water). Caring for my skin, though, doesn't end here. The most consistent thing I do for my skin is definitely drinking loads of water and then using only products that are clean, gentle and just cleansing. I will say though, another thing that I think has a huge impact on my skin is that I don't really wear makeup. I'll do another post on this but I only use a tinted moisturiser and mascara - if I even bother to do that. Not clogging your skin with lots of foundation or powders, etc. just does a lot for your skin because it gets to breathe. I would say though that if you do use makeup just find really clean products to use. The makeup I do have is from Origins as well. I tried Bare Minerals and I just found that is really didn't work with my skin, whereas the products I use now don't irritate my skin.

That's it. Really simple and easy. I love Origins because I trust them, they are sustainable and do their part for the Earth. I have genuinely never had a bad reaction or bad experience with them. Plus its super affordable! Really you get the best of both worlds. Great clean products without breaking the bank trying to take care of your skin. Then, as I've said 10x already in this post, drink lots of water, care for your body, exercise and mediate. Love your body and it will love you.

My yoga journey didn't exactly start out very "zen" or naturally. I actually originally started yoga because my mom did it and would not stop trying to get me to start it. But I was your typical teenager with the "ugh mom no", "it's not a workout", "it's too easy, I would rather go to the gym", etc. etc. etc. I genuinely just didn't want to and I didn't feel like it would be my kind of thing. Young and in denial, obviously.

My yoga "journey" started very slowly, as you can probably tell from how the story starts. I actually started with YouTube videos for the majority of the beginning. This was a great way for me to start. I didn't have the intimidatmidation of classes and I could pick and choose from a bunch of different types of videos - which really allowed me to dip my toes and try different types. I really only went to two or three yoga classes before I moved to Denmark three years ago. It really wasn't until then that my committed yoga practice began. My beloved yoga studio actually opened the same week, that I moved into my apartment in Aarhus. Then I thought it was just a coincidence. Now I see it as fate or meant to be or whatever you would like to call it. There was lots of other options for classes at this studio too, it wasn't just yoga, which I really loved. Especially because it was classes that I had never tried before and never had the opportunity too. Which also made it more attractive to me because I've never seen myself as the "just yoga" type. Not that there is anything wrong with that, I just love a good, intense workout that really gets my pulse up.

google.com

My point is that, this journey didn't start in some magical, perfect way. Quite the contrary actually. But, and this is going to sound very voodoo but, it was like it has taken me a while but I had finally reached a point where my journey could truly begin. Not that YouTube wasn't a surprisingly great option, it really was, but I love the energy and vibe of a class. I swear sometimes it felt like I was flying home after classes. These were my first experiences of that "post yoga feel". I remember walking home one evening after a class and just smiling the whole way home and it wasn't just because it was a great class, I just felt a sense of calm and happiness that radiated from within. And honestly, I know it was yoga because my life was so chaotic at that point in time, I really wasn't happy and found it very hard to feel gratitude or happiness or any of those wonderful warm feelings. But that one night I swear I was just feeling grateful for everything. I was grateful for my new home, the beautiful city, my family, my friends, my body, my mind, and just everything in life. All because of an hour of yoga. If you think about that for a second, that is incredible. I was just high on life for the first time in an incredibly long time. I felt like myself again. And it has only grown from there.

For my list loving people here are the benefits of practice yoga

- improves flexibility

- posture

- healthy joints

- protects/builds up your spine (back-pain people this is very important)

- boosts immunity

- decrease blood pressure

- lowers cortisol levels

- increases the ability to focus

- balance

- improves your nervous system

- better sleep

- boosts your immune system

- can aid with digestion

- focus on your breathing

So if you're feeling run down, dealing with some stress or anxiety, maybe you have some back problems (I will cover this in another Yoga Series post), or maybe you just want to try something new. Maybe challenge yourself a bit and get out of your comfort zone. That is 100% how I felt when I started and it is still one of the best decisions I have ever made. Those things that are most out of our comfort zone, tend to be the things that have the largest impact on us. So do something good for yourself today or tomorrow and just give it a try. Maybe go to a class with a friend or start like me, YouTube... :)

If you have any specific topics you want more information about regarding Yoga then please dont hesitate to DM me or simply comment below! xx

This is my absolute favorite smoothie bowl - EVER! It's incredibly easy, it has some hidden greens (my favorite), filled with antioxidants, fiber and protein to keep you feeling good and fuelled. Personally, I love smoothies but I LOVE smoothie bowls even more. Which is totally due to the toppings. The crunch and extra taste it gives to each bit just makes my taste buds dance (lame but true).

I know... I'm weird about my food. But really, food doesn't just fuel me but it makes me happy and not just fix my "hangriness", but like the joy of creating and making food fills me will happiness. Especially when it looks this good and tastes even better! My love for food will be for another post, for now, let's focus on this bomb smoothie bowl.

I've been having this smoothie bowl for probably two years now and it hasn't gotten old and it probably never will! What I love about these berry smoothies, is that you can easily sneak in greens and I swear you can't taste them. Adding greens into your breakfast is a great way to not only make them more filling, but help you start the day with a good serving of greens to kick start on a positive (and green) note. I've always preached the importance of breakfast and I will do it again. IT IS SO IMPORTANT! And starting the day with a wholesome, healthy, balanced meal will, without you having to think about it, start your day off healthy.

I am personally obsessed with fruit and could eat it all day everyday, so this delicious bowl for breakfast is like having ice cream or dessert - and like who wouldn't want that?

If you are thinking, "but what about all that sugar in fruit? isn't that bad? you definitely shouldn't have that much fruit to start the day"... I completely agree we need to be aware that there is natural sugars in fruit, but for goodness sake do not ever let that stop you from eating fruit! But what I like to do is add the greens and the fibers to help balance it out and then for lunch I usually have a salad with lots of greens, healthy fats and proteins, which helps balance out my day. And the same thing goes for dinner. BUT it never ever stops me from having fruit during the day or after dinner.

I swear by this. I honestly don't know what I would do without my planner. By planner I also mean a physical paper planner, that I bring with me everywhere. Having a planner that you can physically write the things you have to do, helps you remember to actually do them. Personally, I also use a digital calender (especially for full day planning) but I still naturally remember things better when I write them down. PLUS, there is nothing more satisfying than crossing out the things you accomplish as you go. So tip #1, get a super cute planner that is so cute that you will want to use it every day, for everything!

2. Plan all the things you have to do into your calender: inc. workouts, cleaning, grocery shopping, calls, etc.

This might sound super controlling or restrictive to being free with you time, but honestly our days just need to be planned down the second sometimes, to ensure that we get everything done. Plotting in all of the "little" things that you ahve to do in the day, aside from appointments and work or school or whatever it may be, helps you stay accountable and actually do these additional things in your day. So plan, your workouts for the week, plot in when to grocery shop for the week, even if it more than once, even plan free time for yourself. We live in a time where we are constantly go-go-go, all the time. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but we typically end up forgetting to take care of ourself during all fo this go-go-go business. So schedule time to read a book, see friends or family, go on a walk, do some at home yoga or any other kind of selfcare your mind and body is craving.

3. Make daily to-dos

Don't just plan your week but plan your day. Whether it be on a piece of paper or on your computer/phone, make a daily to-do list for yourself. Again, including everything you need to do that day. Doing this ensures that you remember all those little things, as well as the big things, for each day. That way you are sure to get all these things done, its great for motivation and it keeps you accountable. And, again, it is so satisfying to cross of each point and at the end of the day have a fully crossed off list.

4. Keep yourself accountable

The points above mention this idea of keeping yourself accountable. While they help you accomplish all these things and stay organized, you also need to put in your own effort and keep yourself accountable. What I mean by this is that when you make those lists and get a planner, that you actually use it. Doing these things for yourself aren't going to help you if you don't actually do them or use them. You need to personally commit and want to commit to staying organized through these little methods. It really doesn't require a lot from us personally, but it's still important to have the right mindset. The to-do lists can't do it on their own.

5. Get an early start to the day (especially if you are and AM person)

This might be a little intimidating for my PM people, but getting a good early start to the day just starts the day off right. So instead of snoozing in until noon (or 10 am for the matter) then get up early and get your day started. Sleeping in can naturally cause a sense of laziness, which will keep you from feeling motivated and getting s*** done. I am not saying that you should never let yourself sleep in! Again back to the selfcare - let yourself have a day or two to sleep in a little bit longer, just don't snooze all day and definitely not every day. Get up early, have your lemon water and make your to-do, all before breakfast. Accountability.

Yoga can mean a lot of different things for each individual person. That is actually some of the beauty that lies in yoga - the ability to mean and be powerful to us in different ways. We each have our own experiences with yoga every time we practice. Some days we feel like we can fly after an hour, or even just 20 minutes, of yoga. Some days yoga is the one thing that can turn a day around. Somehow we always manage to walk out of yoga feeling like a new person.

It is actually quite interesting how something that can bring us so much calmness and mindfullness into our busy lives, can come from something that can be both physically and mentally straining. The yoga classes that really push you can really be a crazy experience - especially when you are like me and first thought that yoga could never be a "proper" workout.

When you are in a pose and your muscles start to shake and ache, then there are two things that keep you going. First is your mat. Your mat is your support, it's the element that protects your wrists, your knees, even your arms and head during inversions. Your mat is the stage for your practice. This is the stage where you get to let loose, breathe and move freely. Let that stage make you feel strong, supportive and free to move. And then do this beautiful Earth a favor and make sure that it is eco-friendly as well.

The second thing that keeps you strong in your practice, is your mind. It surprised me immensely and still does today, how mentally demanding yoga can be. Yoga is an art of movement, breath and mental strength to holding some poses even though you feel like your body must give-in. Obviously not all yoga is like this, but some more "power" types really can be. And for those who haven't tried yoga might even be a little concerned now, but I swear it is the greatest feeling. I have never felt stronger than since I started my own yoga practice. It is a completely different kind of strength than what you can find in a gym. It is a physical and mental strength that you can take with you, even after you leave the studio.

Do something good for that beautiful body and move today! Whether it be going on a walk, a workout, yoga or even some stretching on the floor of your living room. Just move that beautiful body and feel alive!

Ooo these protein bars (that can totally also be balls) are soo freaking good! Snack bars can be great as a little snack and to keep hunger under control between meals BUT store bought ones are typically filled with sugar and preservatives. Even the ones that claim to be sugar free, are then just pumped with chemical sweeteners (like in diet and sugar free sodas...). Which is why you should make your own! These are vegan, gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free.

I will be completely honest, I have tried maybe two protein bars in my short life (I wasn't a fan) so it's hard for me to compare with regards to flavor, but I promise you this, these chocolate coconut protein bars are delicious, easy and clean of all the unnecessary "stuff".

Then I only use protein powder that I trust. Trust in the sense, that it is 100% vegan, free of sugar and additives, and completely clean of fillers. Additionally, this protein has a lovely nutritious boost of ginseng, vitamins and minerals, which help me keep my body and brain functioning as optimally as possible. I really try to get everything my body needs from real food, but that just doesn't always happen. It isn't always that you get everything you need, every single day, from the food we have available to us, which makes having the proper supplements in your routine, incredibly important. But it can also be difficult and frustrating because, truthfully, you can't trust all of the companies out there providing supplements, unfortunately. The best thing you can do, is do your research.

I use Novo Vita for all of my supplements and protein powders and have been for a while now. I completely trust them and can vouch for the positive effects. And I would not do that unless I was completely sure - only the best for all you beautiful people!

Lastly, these bars are so incredibly easy to make. You just toss everything into the food processor and then shape them! And lastly, ENJOY! Bring them with you to class or to work, for after your workout and for a pre-workout boost if you are feeling low on energy! Or just enjoy them as an afternoon snack, when you are craving something chocolatey.

Do It:

1. Add all the ingredients to your food processor.

2. Blend for 2-3 minutes. You know its ready when a big chocolatey ball forms.

3. Sprinkle coconut flakes on top of your dough and roll (using a rolling pin makes it easier) into the dough as you are flattening it into a rectangle shape.

4. Place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes (in the freezer for about 5 minutes, if you want to be quick).

Green smoothie!! I love a good green smoothie. Sometimes it's because I need an extra green boost in my day, sometimes I just feel like my body needs it. Other times, it's just because I need a little break from my routine berry smoothie.

Packing this one with a lot of veggies, makes it a perfect lunch smoothie as well. Or just a great healthy, veggie boost in the morning. Which is never a bad idea. Starting the day of right, with a wholesome, nutritious breakfast, sets your day off to the best possible start. Which leads to making better decisions regarding food for the rest of the day. Why wouldn't you want to do that?

You will find vanilla protein in this smoothie, which is totally optional, but I almost always add it to make the smoothies more filling. Especially if it's after a workout, we want to build those muscles! But regardless, adding protein, will also add more fill to your smoothie, which will keep your feeling full longer. Which is great and super important for breakfast! Again, starting off your day right! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day...

This month, I decided to keep the same weekly divide of the workouts the same as March. This is because of a conversation I had about consistency recently. Sometimes we just need pure consistency in our lives to keep things simple and manageable - and what's wrong with that? Nothing! So let's not make things complicated.

If you are rocking and rolling with your daily workouts right now, then give yourself a giant hug and a pat on the back because that is freaking awesome! Starting a workout routine or just starting exercise for the first time is really intimidating, but even though it is, you're fighting through that "fear" and kicking butt! G O O D F O R Y O U G I R L!

This also correlates to why I am keeping the days the same for this month. Consistency is key for loosing weight or for living healthy. The more consistent you are the more results you're going to see, the better you'll feel and it will naturally become a stronger part of your lifestyle. When it becomes a part of your lifestyle then all of the fear and struggles with working out seem to disappear - and that's when it starts to get fun and something you look forward to everyday. So stick with it!

I love love love to hear feedback from you and love that you are enjoying the workouts! They were designed for everyone to be able to try and use on a regular basis, so I'm happy to see that so many of you are trying and sticking with it! And all from very different backgrounds and body types!

Again... G O O D F O R Y O U G I R L!

Keep up the good work and make April another strong month! And if this is your first month trying out the Fitness ebook, then WELCOME! I am so excited for you to try it and I can't wait for you to see the amazing results both physically, mentally and emotionally!